This is a record of my journey as a Muslim. I used to be Catholic and belonged to a missionary organisation. After my conversion, I sat on the board of a Muslim converts' organisation and specialised in da'wah programmes, convert management, interfaith issues and apostasy cases. I am an initiate of a Sufi order. As such, the articles and writings tend to cover these areas.
All the Arabic and graphics could not have been done without the help of my wife, Zafirah.

Friday, 3 September 2010

Notes on Laylat al-Qadr

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ
ٱلرَّحِيمِ

Although most people look for it on the odd nights, they
would do well to consider that the “odd” nights are from the Makkan
perspective, not the local one. Therefore, since the start of fasting varies
in different parts of the world, an ‘odd night’ in Makkah is not necessarily an
‘odd night’ inSingapore.

There is more than oneLaylat
al-Qadr. One is for theawliya’. The other is for all the Muslims. The Laylat al-Qadr for the awliya’ is a day or two removed from the
Laylat al-Qadr for the Muslims. Only
Allah (s.w.t.) knows how many Laylat al-Qadr there actually are
but to my knowledge, Shaykh Nazhim al-Haqqani (q.s.) and Shaykh Zakaria
Bagharib (q.s.) have only spoken of two.
Laylat al-Qadr is less
about a night and more of a hal.

Allah (s.w.t.) Manifests Himself in the Lower
Heavens in a gradual process over several days. The secret of why this is so lies with Him and
the Knowers. And in His wake, there is
an impact. The day gets cooler. Not so much cold but the air seems sharp. And everything is more alive. It is the Manifestation of the Attribute of al-Hayy. The day after is neither too hot nor too cold
and the sun is Veiled since in the days of Laylat
al-Qadr, the source of light is actually the Divine Light Manifest. Often, for those who are Aware, they would
notice a gentle rain that comes in the mornings and lasts until just beforezhuhror perhaps longer. And Allah (s.w.t.) Knows Best. Different people sitting together may
experience different things inLaylat
al-Qadr. For those who are able to see,
there is a Light that comes from the ground up. And a Light that comes from the sky down. The air is different and cannot be described. It is cool, sharp, pure and there is a hint of
a scent.

EveryLaylat
al-Qadrhas been slightly
different. No two are alike. In the first year after conversion, I saw the
trees and the lamp posts bow. And the
sky glowed with a light whose colour cannot be described. And perhaps that is the lowest level. In the time of Musa (a.s.), when Allah
(s.w.t.) Manifested Himself upon the mountain, it was a sudden
Manifestation. The force of the shadow
of His Reflection was enough for every atom in the mountain to submit in
annihilation. And since the mountain has
no soul, it was physical. But Allah (s.w.t.)
Comes Down as a gentle caress every Ramadhan. And the gradual Overwhelming Force of Presence
causes all Creation to bow, to submit. Except those who are heedless.

Sometimes, in the morning after, and in the night before,
there is a scent or just a hint of it. Of musk or perfume that is so sweet it would
overpower the senses it were other than an echo of the Garden. There is a melancholy in the air as the soul
calls for what it remembers n the Day of Promises, long ago.